


Under Ocean Waves

by deanbennylife (kams_log)



Series: Denny Tumblr Requests [12]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Merman Dean, Mute Dean, Sailor Benny, Soulmates, Temporary Mute Character, mute character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-29 13:05:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3897436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kams_log/pseuds/deanbennylife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Benny's been a sailor for years. It'd always been his dream to get out on the ocean, live his life in his own way. He'd always been attracted to the sea, wanting to make his world and home there in a way he'd never been able to as a child. Maybe it had something to do with the stories his ma' would tell him of sea creatures and magic.</p><p>But Benny's a grown man now. He knows such things don't exist. But the sudden appearance of a green eyed sea man is bound to change all that, whether Benny is ready for it or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under Ocean Waves

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be a ficlet but then this monster happened. i really hope you guys like it!

Benny had been on the seas for a long time. Ever since he was a little boy, he could remember going out to the harbor to see his old man off. Those were the simpler days, when every day was an adventure and there was never a tomorrow to worry about. 

But as Benny grew, so times changed with him. His old man went off to sea and never returned, his ma’ fell into sorrow and stopped telling Benny the stories of sea creatures and magic. 

As for Benny himself, he wasn’t sure what to believe about that. He remembered nights of climbing out his bedroom window, running to the docks to hang his feet off the pier and daydream about meeting mermaids and mermen, swimming and sailing away and never going back to his boring old life. 

Now his life wasn’t so bad. He’d learned to love what he had. After his ma’ passed away, Benny decided he’d been chained to the ground far too long. He finally went and got that boat he always dreamed of getting and set sail the very next day.

He was far from inexperienced. He grew up by the sea. He knew it’s waters and he knew how to hold his own against it and with it. 

Somehow he’d always known he felt most at home on the sea. Once the land was far behind him, that inkling in the back of his mind was finally solidified. The sea was his home. He never wanted to be parted from it.

But that was fantasy, much like the stories his mother told him as a child. Benny kept a fishing business on the mainland, went into town once a day, and kept a home under his deck. It wasn’t much, but it was his and he was happy with it. 

He was home on the sea. He couldn’t imagine life getting much better.

Until the night the stories of his childhood came back to life, this time with a roaring reality he never could have imagined.

It started late one night as Benny docked his boat. 

Without warning, a sharp bang hit the underside of his vessel. It rocked hard, sending Benny scrambling for the railing until the shaking subsided. He climbed to his feet warily. The only thing that could have hit his boat was a fish. A  _big_ fish, and sharks didn’t swim in these waters. Especially not this close to land. But none-the-less, Benny grabbed his rifle and wandered to the other side of the deck. He glanced over the rail and stared. 

There was nothing there. Harmless ocean waves lapped at his boat, shimmering moonlight glinted off the dark waters. Benny huffed and lowered his weapon. Whatever had hit his boat was long gone now. He tucked the butt of the rifle beneath his arm and headed down to his cabin. 

Although it took a while, Benny found himself drifting to sleep when another bang rocked him into consciousness. This time the sound had been loud, sharp. His journal beside his bed fell off its stand with a thunk. 

Benny looked around and frowned. There was nothing else for it. He grabbed his gun, net, coat, and flashlight, and marched up to the deck again. No fish was going to keep him from his sleep, he growled to himself. 

On the topside of his deck was cold and breezy. Benny shivered and bundled deeper into his coat as he readied his things. Another bang caused him to stumble. He dropped his flashlight and watched it roll with the rocking boat. He cursed and went to his knees, hurrying to get his gun and net ready. 

Finally, he swept up the flashlight and dashed to the rail. His gun secured against his shoulder and arm, he squinted in the flashlight’s rays. There was a sudden dash of movement. He fired without thinking. 

He didn’t expect the high pitched scream that followed, or the explosion of water in his face. Benny spit out the ocean water and grabbed his net, throwing it over the edge hurriedly. He wasn’t sure what he heard, but he knew he got whatever it was that’d been hitting his boat. And  _nothing_ got away with that. He didn’t care what kind of fish it was. The once shimmering moonlight turned into a dark red glint, and Benny knew he’d struck it. 

Benny grabbed his flashlight and checked to make sure the ropes tethering the net to the boat were secured. He readied his gun once more and went to the rail.

Once he saw what he’d caught, his eyes widened. His gun dropped to the deck. 

Green eyes stared at him, wild and terrified. A small  _thunk, thunk, thunk_ echoed in Benny’s ears, and he stared at the emerald green tail that beat against the walls of his boat. Blood was leaking from the creature’s arm, and it, no,  _he_ was clutching the net desperately.

“Dammit,” Benny breathed out in shock. The creature’s lips parted and a whine answered him. Freckled arms lashed out against the net, the tail beat harder against the boat. 

 _Shit_. Shit, he’d shot a  _merman_. 

Benny didn’t have the time to consider what that meant. 

“Damn,” Benny said again, this time louder. “Hey, hey,” he hushed when the creature started spasming to escape again, whining and torn between glaring and looking terrified. “I’m sorry, I’ll get ya’ out of there. Let me help ya.’” 

The creature, whether or not it understood him, went silent and still as Benny quickly rushed to the ropes and started to undo them. It was only when the knots were undone and in his hands that Benny paused, glancing back at the creature trapped in his net. 

If he let him go, what would happen to him? Would he be okay? Benny had damn  _shot_ him. His heart beat painfully in his chest. It wasn’t exactly the way Benny had hoped to meet the magical creature from his bed time stories. But he was there now, and he couldn’t just leave the poor thing. 

The merman’s bright green eyes widened as Benny’s fists tightened on the ropes. He started to struggle again, but Benny raised his closed hands.

“Hey, stop that!” He exclaimed. “I wanna’ help ya.’ I hurt ya’, and I didn’t mean to. I wanna’ make it right. Will ya’ let me?” 

The merman stopped fighting briefly and glanced at him, eyes sharp and calculating. But blood continued to leak from the creature’s arm, and dark eyelashes fluttered closed for a moment before opening. Hesitantly, the creature nodded. Benny grinned weakly.

“Come over to the side of the dock, here,” Benny said and released the ropes, not caring that he was losing it to the ocean now. “I’ll get somethin’ for ya.’” 

The merman beat his tail hard, and instantly he disappeared into the water. Benny didn’t have time to wonder if the merman was going to leave the boat forever. He rushed back down to his cabin and pulled out the biggest first aid kit he owned. He quickly checked it for bandages and wipes, half wondered if mermen even needed anti-infection wipes, but shrugged it off and ran back up to the deck. 

He was still in his damn pajamas, he realized as he came to the end of the dock. There was a ladder there, one Benny was hoping the merman would use to be treated. 

Benny sat on the edge, letting his bare feet slip into the frigid water. He sighed and looked out over the ocean. The merman was probably long gone. He knew that. But he refused to move. If the creature came back, Benny was determined to be there, ready and waiting to fix the damage he’d caused. 

It took time. Thirty minutes, at least. But finally, Benny spotted a splash of water in the distance, and seconds later, a dark blond head poked out from the ocean foam. Green eyes stared at him, only eyes and hair visible as the merman cataloged Benny’s appearance, deciding if it was truly safe to come near. 

Benny held up the kit and offered a weak smile. “Still want some help?” He offered. The merman didn’t move, didn’t blink, until he suddenly dipped under the water and disappeared. 

Benny held his breath, and then grinned when long freckled arms touched the poles of the ladder by Benny’s feet. He frowned when he saw the creature struggled against its wounded arm, and Benny reached out a hand. The merman stared, but took it, allowing Benny to pull him up to the top rung. 

The merman gasped sharply, and Benny frowned, watching him scramble and hiss until his hands wrapped around the top boards of the pier and pull himself up completely. 

Benny stared. The merman didn’t look back. He breathed and rested, back muscles ripping from the effort of getting up. Benny tried not to stare, but when the merman finally looked back at him, freckled face and green eyes gleaming, Benny ashamedly pulled his gaze away and turned to his kit. 

“Here,” Benny said finally. “I’ll clean up some of that blood there. Sew it up too if you’ll let me.” 

The merman said nothing and pushed his arm out, grunting. Benny sat back and looked at it carefully. It seemed he’d only nicked the creature’s arm. That meant he hadn’t damaged him more than he thought. It wouldn’t take nearly as long to heal. The thought helped him relax as he pulled out wipes and water resistant bandages. He wasn’t sure what good it would do, but he wanted do as much as he could. It was the least the merman deserved. 

The merman was silent through the entire procedure, only hissing twice when Benny’s touches were forced over the wound itself. 

“Don’t think I’ll need to sew it after all,” Benny said, even though he knew the merman wouldn’t answer. The creature only blinked at him as Benny threw the bloody wipes in the kit. He pulled out some bandages and held them up for the merman to see. 

“Mind if I wrap it up instead?” 

The merman stared at it long and hard, but nodded curtly and looked away. His skin was beginning to dry, and Benny couldn’t help but stare as even more freckles began to stand out against the creature’s skin. He was beautiful. 

Benny tore his gaze away and returned his attention to the wound. He unraveled the bandages and started back to work. 

This time the merman squirmed, keening and gasping as the pressure steadily increased. But he held his tongue, glaring ahead determinedly until Benny cut off the end and taped it down. 

“There ya’ go,” Benny said gently. “Good as new.” 

The merman glanced down at the white bandage, poked at it experimentally. He smiled for the first time since Benny saw him. It was bright white, nearly glowed in the darkness as the merman looked at Benny happily. 

“Ya’ don’t have to hang around if ya’ don’t want to,” Benny said. “I really am sorry ‘bout hurting ya.’” 

The merman’s gaze narrowed, but he didn’t move. His tail batted against the ladder, and Benny realized the merman wasn’t going anywhere. 

“Do ya...’” Benny said slowly, unsure of what he was getting at. A thought occurred to him and he asked cautiously, “Why were ya’ hittin’ my boat?” 

The merman looked thoughtful for a moment. He pushed himself back carefully until only his forearms were hooked over the pier. The merman reached up and pulled at Benny’s arm, tugging him until Benny was leaning down close enough that their faces were only a foot or two apart. 

The merman bit his tongue and raised his fingers nervously. He closed his eyes and touched them gently, then raised his hand and touched Benny’s cheek, just below his eye. He then quickly darted his hand across to touch below Benny’s other eye. Once it was over, the merman pulled his hand back sharply and dropped it to the ladder rung. His eyes darted from Benny’s and to the sea, and Benny realized the merman was  _nervous_. But for what reason, Benny had no idea.

“My eyes?” He offered, curious. The merman’s face lighted, and he nodded anxiously. His free hand tugged at Benny’s arm again, hard. The merman stared at him intently, like he was trying to say something through his silence, but Benny couldn’t understand it.

“You like my eyes?” 

The merman rolled his eyes and dropped his hand, this time grabbing Benny’s hand firmly in his own. He brought it to his lips. Benny gasped in surprise. The merman’s lips were soft, a little wet, but  _soft_. It was like a silk blanket, or what a cloud would feel like if it were smooth and gentle. 

The merman’s green eyes flicked up to his, the hidden words still locked behind his expression. Benny opened his mouth to speak, but the merman dropped his hand and dived back into the water. Benny caught his tail beat against the ocean once, and he was gone.

Benny didn’t go back to his boat till morning.

...

The merman didn’t come back for days. But Benny thought of him every day. He dreamed of those lips on his hand, wondering what they’d feel like against his lips. He wanted to know the merman’s name. He wanted to know why the creature had trusted him to help him, after being given every reason  _not_ to trust him.

Benny had shot him. But still, the merman had come back. 

His palm still tingled from the kiss. Benny dreamed of him coming back. But his common sense told him it would never be.

Yet, despite his feeling, a week later as Benny was floating out a few miles from shore, there was a bang against the side of his boat. He grinned and rushed to the rail, and sure enough, bright green eyes stared at him curiously. 

He looked even more beautiful in daylight. He  _looked_ like daylight. Bright green sparkling eyes, freckled and tanned and gorgeous, dark blond hair smashed around his head in the most beautiful way possible. Benny wanted to reach out and touch him, beckon the creature closer so he might actually get to know him this time.

As if sensing what Benny wanted, the merman drifted closer. With one splash, Benny jumped in surprise as the merman launched his body up to the rail, wrapping his arms around it and holding himself steady.

The merman beamed at him, all teeth and sunshine radiating from his face like he’d been just as excited to see Benny too. 

Benny immediately noticed the absence of the bandage, and the clean bare skin that was left behind. No wound to speak of.

“Well look at that,” Benny grinned, leaning against the rail to the merman’s right. “It’s all healed up.”

The merman nodded and pulled himself closer. Benny heard the thunk of his tail against the boat-side. For once, Benny wasn’t upset by it at all. 

“Think ya’ might talk today?” Benny said when the silence carried. The merman licked his lips and stared at Benny curiously. 

Benny watched him back curiously. “Ya’ said ya’ liked my eyes last we met. I take it there was more to that than ya’ pointed out. Am I right?”

The merman stared at him intently. He reached out and touched Benny’s hand. He bit his lip nervously and stared at Benny’s face. He motioned to his lips, then reached out and touched Benny’s chin.

Benny’s heart beat double time. Did that mean...? 

He nodded slowly, hoping it meant what he thought it meant. The merman’s eyes widened in surprise, and Benny couldn’t be sure, but his eyes glistened as he dropped down and moved till he was directly beneath Benny, hands spread on either side of his. The merman pulled himself up cautiously, and Benny swallowed hard. Their faces were only inches apart now. 

The merman motioned to his lips again, to Benny’s chin again. Benny nodded and smiled. 

“Go for it, darlin.’” 

The merman beamed. He leaned forward, and their lips connected. 

It was like sparks exploding against his skin. Benny hummed in pleasure, leaning forward to capture the merman’s lips completely against his own. The sensation spread across his entire face, lighting up every part of his body from his head to his fingers and toes. 

When he opened his eyes, the merman had tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. The merman laughed and pecked his lips again. Benny stared in wonder, but the merman kept on laughing. It was a beautiful sound, low and gorgeous like ocean waves on a sunny day. 

“Somethin’ funny?” Benny finally asked. The merman reached out and grabbed Benny’s face, pulling him forward for another kiss.

His lips parted, and when he spoke, his voice was like rumbling thunder and fire. Benny felt like his heart was glowing.

“Couldn’t speak till I kissed my soul mate. Never thought I’d find you.”

Benny gaped, grin not failing for a second as he stared at the merman. The creature suddenly paled and looked nervous. 

“Sorry. We’re different from humans, I know that’s not how it works for mainlanders, but I thought...”

“Wait,” Benny held up a hand. “Let’s start with names. We can work out details later, don’t ya’ think?” 

The merman visibly relaxed, and he leaned forward excitedly. “Yeah, yeah please.”

Benny grinned and extended a hand. “My name’s Benny Lafitte. What’s yours, sugar?” 

The merman took Benny’s hand in his own. Like a memory, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to his knuckles, then replied, “Dean. You can call me Dean.”

“Well, Dean,” Benny laughed. “I’d like to know everythin’ about ya’ if ya’ don’t mind.”

Dean beamed. “There’s nothing I’d like more.”

**Author's Note:**

> me: deanbennylife.tumblr.com


End file.
